Sport

Quigg lands dream fight

SCOTT Quigg will fight former Commonwealth and European champion Rendall Munroe for the interim WBA super-bantamweight title in June.

It is the match-up the Bury boxer had been dreaming of ever since he claimed the British title last year.

The fight, which is being promoted by Ricky Hatton, will take place on either June 2 or 16, with venues in Manchester and Leicester under consideration.

Hatton said: “It is about giving fans what they want and this is a match-up of the highest quality between two of the world’s best 8st 10lb boxers.

“The winner will go on to mix with the world’s elite fighters and it is certainly the biggest fight Hatton Promotions has staged in the UK. I am sure the public will support it.”

Quigg, aged 23, is one of world boxing’s brightest prospects – unbeaten in 24 professional contests.

He forced Jason Booth to quit on his stool to claim the British title last October and stopped Jamie Arthur in his first defence at the Reebok Stadium
in January.

The former Bury ABC boxer has set himself a target of fighting for a world title by the summer of 2013. If he can beat Munroe then Quigg will earn an automatic shot at the WBA crown, which is
currently held by young Cuban fighter Guillermo Rigondeaux.

But there is no doubt that Munroe is a big step up in class for Quigg and will provide his toughest challenge yet.

The 31-year-old Leicester southpaw has won 24 of his 26 contests, fighting at the highest level against Toshiaki Nishioka for the WBC belt in Tokyo in October 2010. Munroe lost that title shot on
points and is eager to get back into the big-time.

The confirmed date, venue and ticket details for the Quigg-Munroe fight will be announced next month.